The impact of virtual socialisation on newcomers’ workplace commitment
Project Background
With the rapid evolution of digital technologies, more businesses are moving to a digital working environment. Lately, the global pandemic accelerated this digital transformation, and forced people to change their behaviour in a dramatic way, indeed, businesses have moved to remote working. The use of communication and information technologies has become a way to achieve organisational affiliation and a central focus of organisational members’ everyday work and social relationships. It is expected that this digital workspace would reshape our socialisation practices and influence individuals’ attitudes and behaviours.
This also could have a massive impact on new employees’ early socialisation experiences, who are joining the organisation for the first time through this virtual workspace. The research on the socialisation process has primarily been focused on traditional practices in co-located groups. Therefore, we are conducting interviews as part of a research study to investigate how virtual socialisation could influence newcomers’ early work experiences and form their workplace commitment.
Research Questions
- How do new employees experience virtual socialisation?
- How does it impact their workplace commitment?
Project Lead
Co-investigators
Professor Juani Swart - University of Bath